Appearance: dark brown in colour with ruby highlights against the light. A frothy tan head leaps up two-fingers, and quickly drops with odd fizzing on top. Very little retention or lacing.

Aroma: definite dark fruits, honey and some spices, with some anise in the background. Something else almost quite over the top, which I later identified as the honey.

Taste: an almost saccharin sweetness from the honey and a molasses character, those fruits coming through again also. The pungent sweetness is somewhat balanced with a decent amount of sourness through that anise and herbs. It's certainly full flavoured, though the sweetness is not my sort of thing.

Aftertaste: the sweetness backs off a bit, to be replaced by more of that mouth-filling sourness. More my sort of flavour. Pretty tasty!

Mouth feel: medium in body with a light and yet somehow spritzy-feeling carbonation. Clean and crisp.

Overall: a full flavoured Belgian Strong Dark, different to the ones I've had before - much stronger and with plenty more sourness to marry up with the sweetness. Only detractor is the AU$120+ per case price (2013).

330 ml brown bottle, with a swing top cap, poured into a snifter glass. ABV is 8,5%.

Pours a very brown colour, almost black, with a good two finger head, beige in colour, with average retention. Very light lacing left behind, although some foam persists on the beer's surface.Very nice sweet smell. Lots of honey in the aroma, pretty much overpowers everything else. Some light alcohol aroma too.Taste is sweet-sour, with less honey now and more flavours of dark fruits,red grapes,molasses. Tastes quite like a good red wine.Quite carbonated with a medium to full body.Great beer.

Aroma: Dark fruits and spices (coriander, cloves) dominate the aroma. There is also a fairly prominent aroma of dark bread. The purported orange rind is not discernible.

Taste: Opens with strong dark bread notes, soon after a subdued winter spice presence makes itself known, quickly followed by spicy, slightly warming alcohol. The dark malt offers some earthy, smoky flavors as the taste unfolds. Toward the end of the taste, bitter cocoa and earth notes assert, and a moderate wave of metallic hops draws the taste to a close.

Mouth feel: Smooth and fairly soft, a touch thin.

Drinkability/notes: Not spectacular, but neither is it bad. Worth a try on a cold Winter's night.

Presentation: Packaged in an eleven point two ounce Euro-style brown glass long neck bottle with a pry-off crown, served in a New Belgium Brewing chalice.